be soft inside despite one 's hard shell

be soft inside despite one 's hard shell

Chinese idiom, Pinyin is n è IR ó uwaig ā ng, which means weak in heart and strong in appearance; also known as "tough outside and soft inside". It's from the book of changes - no hexagram.

The origin of Idioms

In the book of changes, no hexagram: "Yin inside but Yang outside, soft inside but hard outside."

Analysis of Idioms

Combination of hardness and softness

Idiom usage

As an attributive or adverbial; refers to a person's personality.

Examples

She is a woman who is soft inside and hard outside.

Idiom story

Lin Daiyu is soft on the outside and hard on the inside, Shi Xiangyun is soft on the inside and hard on the outside

Although Daiyu's poems are full of desolation, they all show her outstanding, satire and disdain for the dark and broken world. Her lofty and proud character is revealed in her poems. The most rigid things in the world are endowed with a strong tragic color. Of course, Lin Daiyu is no exception. She is not only the most rigid, but also the best It's just like doctor Sanlu, who committed suicide in order to pursue the beauty in his heart. "The pursuit of beauty" has become the strongest voice of Lin Daiyu's soul, but her appearance has been given "the weakest" by dramatization, and a gust of wind can blow her down It is this strange dislocation that creates this unique temperament. It is weak and strong, sad and resolute, sharp and sharp, aloof but heavy.

Shi Xiangyun, as the "opponent" of Daiyu, appeared to be incompatible with Daiyu's caution at the beginning. She laughed and said, "it's a real celebrity who is romantic". It seems that nothing can make her depressed. On the surface, Shi Xiangyun is bold and strong, regardless of details. She can't get used to Daiyu's careful eyes and quarrels with her everywhere. In fact, she understands Daiyu, just like Daiyu Although Qu Yuan and Ruan Ji are not the same people, I believe that their hearts are interlinked. The superficial heroism and open mindedness can not hide their inner helplessness and fear. Her dissatisfaction with Daiyu actually stems from a kind of fear. She seems to vaguely see the tragedy of Daiyu's life. She wants to avoid it, but she can't, but like Daiyu, she can't face it with tears all day Therefore, it has become her principle to "hide softness and sadness in the heart, and show forthrightness and firmness to the outside". But how can all these escape Daiyu's eyes? Finally, no one can escape the curse of fate.